Page 7 - Robeson Living Fall 2021

and most of all, for the gift of music he awarded me,” Jonathan There he found a vibrant music scene he thought he might
shared. could be part of. Taking a leap of faith he started playing music
full-time and has not looked back since.
After high school, playing music took the backburner to the
music industry, more accurately described as “his job,” he said After joining the well-known North Myrtle beach band, Mid-
jokingly. However, his nine-year stint as the manager of a re- night Allie, in 2015, Jonathan began traveling all over the Car-
tail music center and school in Wilson kept him in the field. A olinas and Virginia. The music was hot; the genre was Beach.
pickup artist during that time, he additionally played bass for During this stint, a highlight for him was performing multiple
a local Gospel group and the mandolin for a bluegrass band — times with Craig Woolard, the iconic singer from The Embers
his one-time instrument deviation other than his current under- band fame. Of such gigs, he calls himself a “hired gun.” Not a
taking of the pedal steel guitar and past life as a middle school trigger but strings — you get the picture.
trumpet player. A true guitar lover, his collection includes
some 29 pieces, including his favorite and go-to, the acoustic After a few years in Beach Music, Jonathan transitioned over
Yamaha awarded to him as the 2018 Carolina Country Music to Country Music in 2016. He co-founded his current band,
Awards’ winner of Guitarist of the Year. Let’s not overlook his Mary McKinney & Co., with brother Andrew and his friend
voice, though; he sings backup in his current position — more of 20-plus years, Mark McKinney, the band’s lead singer and
on that in a minute. namesake. With Andrew on drums and Jonathan and Mark
playing guitar and singing — Jonathan backing up Mark’s lead
Tired of working retail and eager to change gears, Jonathan vocals — the band booked gigs left and right and, to date, has
moved back home to get a fresh start and his footings. The a huge fan base in North Myrtle Beach.
musings led him to next move to North Myrtle Beach in 2014.

Mark McKinney (left) and Jonathan Locklear (right) are award-winning musicians who have known one
another since childhood in Robeson County.
Robeson Living ~ Fall 2021 Page 7